US Navy orders more APKWS guidance kits
BAE Systems has received a $59.5m contract from the US Navy to deliver additional Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) guidance kits to transform unguided 2.75-inch rockets into laser-guided precision munitions, the company announced on 10 October.
The award, which follows a recent contract for $180.5 million, is funded under the indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity contract worth over $600 million announced by the company in October 2016.
APKWS uses distributed aperture semi-active laser guidance technology and a mid-body guidance section that fits between the motor and the warhead to transform a standard unguided 2.75in munition into a precision laser-guided rocket.
The easily assembled rockets give a different capability to critical airborne platforms, including A-10 Thunderbolt II, AH-64 Apache, AH-1W/Z Super Cobra/Viper, AV-8B Harrier, F-16 Fighting Falcon, UH-1Y Venom, and other fixed- and rotary-wing platforms.
Rachel Guill, director of Precision Guidance Solutions at BAE Systems, said: ‘APKWS guidance kits are easy to use, cost-effective, and precise, and they seamlessly integrate with existing munitions and platforms.
‘Our customers are demanding APKWS because of their extreme precision and mission effectiveness.’
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